Heated sock to keep the wearer feet and toes warm

ABSTRACT

A heated sock to keep the wearer&#39;s feet and toes warm, is disclosed. The heated socks comprise a pocket for oxygen-activated chemical heating pouch which generates heat when exposed to air, and distributed to the whole feet from toe to ankle and heel through friction caused by the wearer when walking, jumping or other activities. The heated socks are provided with the extra cushion on the bottom of the feet to aid in comfort for the wearer. The heated socks keep the feet dry from moisture and perspiration.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a heated garment system, and more particularly, to heated socks with a pocket for receiving a previous oxygen-activated chemical heating pouch to keep the wearer's feet and toes warm.

(2) Background of Invention

Cold weather and winter sports are very popular. Hunting, fishing, walking, hiking, game watching and camping are often at their best in cooler weather. In addition, athletic sports such as football, soccer, skiing and ice skating are done during the winter. These and other winter activities require protection from the cold with proper clothing to best enjoy the sport.

For a spectator, or an active participant, the feet and hands are most vulnerable to the cold. There have been many devices suggested to provide needed warmth to these areas including passive devices which provide additional insulation to hold the body's own heat and active devices which generate heat and apply the heat to the needed areas of the body.

Also, many people suffer from foot pain and discomfort, which may be due to various factors that may include injury, structural imbalance and excessive activity. These factors lead to various foot conditions such as plantar fascitis, metatarsalgia, bunions, heel pain, as well as blisters, corns and calluses. Various attempts to alleviate foot pain and discomfort have been developed including the use of cushioned hosiery, such as stockings and socks.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,935, issued Nov. 10, 1987, to Albert Traffanstedt and Roy Traffanstedt, discloses a pair of heatable socks for keeping the wearer's feet warm in a cold environment and comprising a resistive heating unit secured in the toe of each sock, a battery source which is carried on the wearer's body, and switching means controllable by the wearer for acting in combination with the resistive heating unit to selectively cause different and controllable amounts of electric current from the battery source to flow through the resistive heating units to thereby generate different and desired amounts of heat in the socks.

Other U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,185 to Gross and U.S. Pat. No. 2,692,326 to Crowell show a shoe heated by a resistive element which is powered by a battery carried on the wearer's clothes. Both of these also disclose battery powered resistive elements in which the maximum battery voltage is always connected across the entire resistive heating element and, accordingly, will usually heat the heating elements to a higher than needed and perhaps uncomfortable temperature when the battery is fresh and fully charged and then, after an hour or two, when the user is tried and the cold has penetrated well into the shoes, the battery will be partially discharged and will not be able to heat the resistive heating elements to a foot comfortable temperature.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,333, issued Jul. 27, 1993, provides “Thermal sock having a toe heating pocket”. This was developed to provide an improved thermal sock construction for warming the toes of the user by means of a chemical heating pouch inserted into a pocket formed on the top of the toe portion of the sock.

Accordingly, a need remains for a warming or heating apparatus for keeping the feet warm and the like.

As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved heated socks as set forth by the instant invention which addresses the problems of ease of use as well as effectiveness in construction in providing the heated socks for use in providing warmness and aids in comfort to the feet of the user and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of feet and toes warming apparatus now present in the prior art, the present invention provides the heated socks wherein the same utilizes an oxygen-activated heating chemical for warming the feet of the user and use on process of various components employed in the procedure. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved heated socks which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

Accordingly, it is a primary aspect of the present invention to provide the heated socks, which keeps the wearer's feet and toes warm. For the purpose, heat is caused by the chemical exposed to air.

In another aspect, the present invention provides the heated socks which comprise a pocket for oxygen-activated chemical heating pouch.

In another aspect, the present invention provides the heated socks which cause heat through friction.

It is yet another aspect of the present invention where the heated socks are provided with the extra cushion on the bottom of the feet to aid in comfort for the person.

Further aspect of the present invention provides the heated socks which have been shaped to fit within footwear to provide warmth and comfort to the feet of the wearer.

It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide new and improved heated socks which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide new and improved heated socks which is of a durable and reliable construction.

An even further aspect of the present invention is to provide new and improved heated socks which is susceptible to a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such heated socks economically available to the buying public.

Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from time to time throughout the specification as hereinafter related.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that the drawing depicts only illustrated embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the user's foot wearing the heated socks.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the user's foot wearing the heated socks.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the user's foot wearing the heated socks.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments will be described using the terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well-known features are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.

In some preferred embodiments, the present invention provides the heated socks which allow the wearer to always have warm feet and toes. The heating element is inbuilt in the heated socks, provided with the pocket, which comprises the oxygen activated heating chemical pouch. The heating chemical generates heat as it is exposed to the air. Further, when the wearer causes friction by running or jumping or even walking, the heat generates and extends from top of the toe to the heel portion.

The inventive product provides comfort to the wearer as the cushion element is provided within the sock. Also, the inventive product would prove to be beneficial to keep the feet dry for longer hours. Moreover, if the foot perspires, the moisture does not affect the heating capability of the warmer.

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 3 thereof, new and improved heated socks embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention are described herein. An embodiment of the heated sock apparatus according to this invention is designated generally by the reference character 10.

Referring to FIG. 1, the side view of the heated sock 10 includes a toe portion 11, a heel portion 12, a sole portion 14, an ankle portion 15, and an elastic ribbed calf portion 16. The sock comprises the pocket like structure 17 to enclose the oxygen-activated chemical heating pouch 18. The chemical heating pouch 18 as exposed to air tends to generate the heat. The heat is also caused by the friction created by the wearer. The heat travels from the toe portion 11 to the heel portion 12 and ankle portion 15; spreads in the whole foot both upper and bottom side of the foot.

Further FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 illustrates the top and bottom view respectively, of the heated sock 10 enclosing one or more components as discussed above.

The heated sock of the present invention is formed of a relatively thick knitted fabric material—such as wool, a synthetic fiber/wool or cotton-polypropylene blend, or the like-as normally used in socks. Preferably, the heated sock is formed of Marino wool with at least one or more in combination from the three materials: hollofil, thermax, or thermostat.

In accordance with the invention, the heated sock also comprises the synthetic wicking material like polypropylene and coolmax woven into the sock to enhance the moisture wicking performance of the heated sock.

Another embodiment discloses the cushion element provided in the sock comprises the material like acrylic weaved into one or more area(s) to increase the density of the cushion, especially in the areas which causes stress to the foot while walking or hiking or the like activities, and thereby which aids in providing comfort to the wearer.

Further, the heated sock also comprises the supporting materials like stretch nylon or spandex to facilitate the shape of the sock and to minimize the wrinkles of the fabric.

As may now be appreciated from the above description and reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention provides a heated sock which may be utilized by the wearer to keep the feet and toes warm, and helps to keep the feet dry from moisture and/or perspiration.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-discussed embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heated sock to keep the wearer feet and toes warm, comprising: a sock body having at least toe, heel, sole, and ankle portions; and a pocket means for receiving a previous oxygen activated chemical heating pouch.
 2. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said oxygen activated chemical heating pouch to keep the wearer's feet and toes warm.
 3. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heating chemical generates heat when exposed to air.
 4. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat generation and distribution is caused by the friction.
 5. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sock provides the effective heat distribution in the foot from toe portion to the ankle portion towards the upper portion of the foot.
 6. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sock provides the effective heat distribution in the foot from toe portion to the heel portion towards the bottom of the foot.
 7. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sock tends to keep the feet dry from moisture and perspiration.
 8. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sock comprises the cushion elements for providing comfort to the wearer.
 9. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sock is formed of thick knitted fabric material such as wool, a synthetic fiber/wool or cotton-polypropylene blend.
 10. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wool material is preferably the Marino wool with at least one or more in combination from the three materials: hollofil, thermax, or thermostat.
 11. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sock comprises the synthetic wicking material like polypropylene and coolmax woven into the sock to enhance the moisture wicking performance of the heated sock.
 12. A heated sock as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sock comprises the supporting materials like stretch nylon or spandex to facilitate the shape of the sock and to minimize the wrinkles of the fabric. 